Weekend Roundup

Georgetowner • August 25, 2011

Live Jazz With Vocalist Nancy Scimone

August 20th, 2011 at 07:30 PM

No Cover

livejazzconcerts@verizon.net

Tel: 571-232-1873

Vocalist Nancy Scimone delivers spirited performances of lively and lush American jazz standards, French and Latin-influenced tunes. The Henley’s extensive wine list, classic cocktails savory treats (crispy shrimp) and desserts (pear bread pudding!) are perfect accompaniments to these sublime songs. Cozy tapestry seats, intimate lighting. No Cover. Saturdays 7:30 – 11:30 Perfect for conversation or just listening.
Near Metros, on-street parking

Address

The Henley Park Hotel

926 Massachusetts Ave. NW

Washington DC 20001

Martin Luther king Jr. Memorial Celebration Cruises

August 24th, 2011 at 12:00 PM

Tel: 866.404.8439

On August 24 and August 25, the Odyssey and the Spirit of Washington are celebrating the historic dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial with memorable civil rights-inspired cruises. Guest will enjoy music and live entertainment from the Civil Rights Era, special narration highlighting Martin Luther King Jr.’s achievements, creative plated cuisine and monumental views. For cruise details, directions or to make reservations, visit www.entertainmentcruises.com or call 866.404.8439

Address

Entertainment Cruises

6th and Water Streets,

SW Washington, D.C.

(three blocks from Metro via the Waterfront Station on the Green line)

UNLEASH AT ROOF TERRACE RESTAURANT’S DOG DAYS OF SUMMER CELEBRATION: BBQ & BREW BASH

August 25th, 2011 at 07:00 AM

$40 per person

Tel: 202- 416-8555

Roof Terrace Restaurant & Bar invites you to wash away the work week with a few beers and BBQ favorites. The sun is sizzling, the days are long – here’s an excuse to let loose. Reservations are required; business attire is not. Dog Days of Summer is part of Roof Terrace Restaurant’s monthly Wine & Cultural Celebration Series, in which patrons are invited to experience wines, beers or spirits of a particular type or region, paired with food and entertainment.

Address

Roof Terrace Restaurant

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

2700 F Street

Washington, DC

www.roofterracerestaurant.com

Gary Tischler • August 24, 2011

You’re not likely to hear The Three Stooges and Anton Chekhov mentioned in the same conversation. Yet I found myself thinking of Curly and Moe, and Laurel and Hardy, for that matter, and maybe even Lucille Ball at odd moments during the Sidney Theatre Company’s electric, very energetic, and yes, very funny, production of “Uncle Vanya” at the Kennedy Center.

Chekhov, the Russian master of the short story and theater, reportedly insisted that his plays were comedies of a kind. Director Tamas Ascher and his Sidney Theater ensemble cast certainly found a lot of rough and tumble, physical and sly comedy in “Uncle Vanya”, without diluting what is basically a comic tragedy. You laugh, you cry, you watch the twilight preceding the night.

This production—with a stellar cast headed by but not dominated by Oscar-winning movie actress Cate Blanchett, who runs the company with husband Andrew Upton, noted for his adaptation of “The Cherry Orchard”—is an electric, combustible staging, always entertaining to watch for its physicality, for its portrait of a group of people in frustrated mourning for the missed opportunities of their lives.

If there is a slight tic in this production, it’s probably the setting. Ascher has decided to put Chekhov’s 19th-century Russians-on-the-country-estate into Soviet times, a move that’s not particularly comfortable if you pay too much attention to it. These people—so enmeshed in their beat of their personal but also universal soul—wouldn’t have lasted a weekend under Stalin, the wrecker of the individual soul on a grand scale. You hear a car horn hiccupping, the sound of a motor, and some of the clothing could be modern, if threadbare, especially Yelenda’s two little clingy somethings, basic hunger-inducing outfits in white and red, ruled over by teased white-blond curls.

Basically, you know where you are: Chekhov country, which is to say the denizens and residents of a floundering estate losing their grip on the property and land, barely getting by, yearning for the past and love and success never found. In short, there’s a quasi-intellectual (a pompous professor in theis case), a hopeful young person, a frustrated middle-aged romantic, a cynic of sorts, and a glamorous, diva-like woman around whom the twilight sun of the setting and every one in it moves, plus the odd relative, hanger-on, old man who remembers back in the day.

In Chekhov’s plays—which are really about people’s inability to adjust to social and economic changes like the end of serfdom, the rise of the middle class and the struggle to keep up old habits and appearances—the emphasis shifts and moves around like a game of sad tag. The craziest, most tortured, and erratic spokesman of the frustrations of change and a sudden clarity of vision is Vanya, who for years has kept up the estate for the absentee landlord—the puffed up clueless Serebyakov, a man whom he admired only to find him an empty suit.

The professor has arrived at the shabby estate with his stunning, much younger wife Yelena (Blanchett), who manages to disturb the numbing routine of the estate. Like a witch high on speed, she wreaks havoc among the residents: Vanya realizes he’ll never have her, the good Doctor develops an almost uncontrollable lust/love for her, and even the practical Sonya finds a new BFF in the jittery diva that’s been placed in their midst. On top of that the professor has plans for the estate, which he can’t afford to hang on to.

Money, feverish promise of sex, romance and love, the impending loss of status and property, shifting relationships and a terrible longing for the past—these are all familiar Chekhov tropes. Usually, they’re played out an atmosphere of waiting, a kind of poetic languor interrupted by bursts of high drama, the revelation of secrets and even a gunshot (“The Seagull).

There’s a gunshot in “Uncle Vanya” too, but it’s one of the more splasticky moments in the play when Vanya attempts to shoot the professor because he has Yelena, because “he’s added nothing to nothing,” intellectually. Like Oliver Hardy, he misses in three tries. Richard Roxburgh as Vanya is a study in epic frustration, exasperation, he flounders like a fish, his arms and hands are prayers, they’re moving around in electric supplication.

In the midst of all this Yelena is like a moth, who recognizes that every one wants to touch her, it’s essentially all she’s got to offer. She even touches herself as if to guard against some imagined winter storm. She fends off the doctor, she puts off Vanya and doles out her affections in small bursts, so as not to excite a fever. When her husband demands a kiss, she swoops in like a mother bird feeding her chick a worm.

It’s a feverish performance, all tangled up in her thin, elongated body which is never still, its as if she were constantly eying the rooms of the estate for escape hatches.

Haley McElhinney as Sonya sports a broad Aussie accent, but somehow it doesn’t matter—her performance is so natural, so true and strong, that she could speak in another language altogether and still be understood.

In the end, people leave, people stay, as if the soul of the once-great estate had evaporated.

This “Uncle Vanya”completes the set for this writer, in the sense that I can now say I’ve seen the Chekhov plays in versions that are immensely satisfying. If Upton’s and Ascher’s version is a stylistic departure in terms of physicality, energy and the spice of comedy, it brings a freshness to Chekhov, a new, or rather additional way of experiencing the plays. The production can stand beside my particular favorites: The Studio Theater’s and Joy Zinoman’s elegiac version of “The Three Sisters”, along with Zelda Fichandler’s classic production of the same play; Zinoman again with the rarely seen “Ivanov”, which opened the Studio’s new space; the David Mamet translation of “The Cherry Orchard” at Round House Theater and last, but not least, the iconoclastic director Peter Sellars’ just-about-perfect version of “A Seagull”, which was the late Colleen Dewhurst’s shining moment as the fading actress Irina Arkadina, and featured Kevin Spacey, Kelly McGillis and Paul Winfield in an outstanding cast at the time when the Kennedy Center was attempting to create a national theater.

Georgetowner • August 15, 2011

Art & Live Jazz Saturday

August 13th, 2011 at 01:00 PM | Free | liveanartfullife@verizon.net | Tel: 540-253-9797

“The Painted Pot” by Phyllis Handal. Phyllis is known for her painted pottery in butterfly, dragonfly and vegetable motifs. She will be featured with a demonstration of how she paints her pottery at our Art & Live Jazz Saturday from 1 – 5 PM. Her work is very likable, functional and sure to bring a smile. Live Jazz will start at 5PM that evening with the Samba do Jazz Quartet and wine tasting by Vintage Ridge Winery. Make a day of it in The Plains!

Address

Live An Artful Life

6474 Main Street

The Plains, VA 20198

Aidah Collection Trunk Sale at Flash Market
August 13th, 2011 at 12:00 PM | info@aidah.com | Tel: (202) 338-0680

Flash Market: A Pop-up Extravaganza

hosted by Hillyer Art Space

Join Aidah Collection and other local fashion and jewelry designers for a fabulous Summer Trunk Sale with mimosas, cupcakes and a mini-runway show!

View and shop the new Accessories Collection of handmade eco-chic flower brooches, rings and tote bags.

RSVP ON FACEBOOK:

Address

Hillyer Art Space

9 Hillyer Court NW DC

(Dupont Circle Metro)

Live Jazz With Vocalist Nancy Scimone

August 13th, 2011 at 07:30 PM | No Cover Charge | livejazzconcerts@verizon.net

Vocalist Nancy Scimone delivers spirited performances of lively and lush American jazz standards, French and Latin-influenced tunes. The Henley’s extensive wine list, classic cocktails savory treats (crispy shrimp) and desserts (pear bread pudding!) are perfect accompaniments to these sublime songs. Cozy tapestry seats, intimate lighting. No Cover. Saturdays 7:30 – 11:15 Perfect for conversation or just listening.

Near Metros, on-street parking

Address

The Henley Park Hotel

926 Massachusetts Ave. NW

Washington DC 20001

Bourbon Steak: Annual “Pig Out” Patio Party

August 14th, 2011 at 03:00 PM | $35 per person | Tel: 202.944.2026

It’s time once again to “Pig Out” at Bourbon Steak (2800 Pennsylvania, NW). The modern American restaurant will host its second annual pig roast event on their spacious patio Sunday, August 14 from 12 to 3 p.m. Priced at $35 per person for food, and $50 inclusive of food and drink, guests at this year’s pork-centric party will once again enjoy a 300-lb spit-roasted pig from Eco-Friendly Foods, among other show-stopping offerings from Executive Chef Adam Sobel and his team. Bourbon Steak is partnering with DC Brau, the DC-based brewing company, to provide the perfect pork-pairing beers for the event. The restaurant will also make available special non-alcoholic punches available throughout the day for all guests. In case of rain, “Pig Out” will be held on Sunday, August 28. To purchase tickets to “Pig Out”, call 202.944.2026 or visit www.bourbonsteakdc.com for reservations.

Address

Bourbon Steak

2800 Pennsylvania, NW

Parish Gallery: Leslee Stradford “The Night Tulsa Died”

August 16th, 2011 at 12:41 PM | Tel: 202.944.2310

Showing through Tuesday, August 16, Parish Gallery (1054 31st Street, NW) proudly presents Leslee Stradford’s “The Night Tulsa Died: Black Wall Street Massacre 1921”. A descendant of the victims in “The Tulsa Race Riot 1921,” Leslee Stradford vividly conveys the social, cultural and historical story of the massacre confined to the racially segregated Greenwood neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 31, 1921. Stradford’s style, sometimes figurative, sometimes abstract and sometimes both, uses new technology and research to create digital images, painted canvases and silks. Primarily representing, but not exclusively, contemporary visual artists of significance from Africa and the African Diaspora, you can view this artistic display of history and the spirit of social preservation and regeneration in the Parrish Gallery showroom. 202.944.2310

Address

Parish Gallery

1054 31st Street, NW

Join Us for Networking with a View… And a Salute to Furin’s

Wednesday, August 17, 2011 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

House of Sweden| On the Waterfront | 2900 K Street NW | Georgetown

Hors d’oeuvres by Ridgewells Caterers

Desserts by Chris Furin

Beverages compliments of the Georgetown Business Improvement District

Event Free for GBA Members | $20 for Non-Members

RSVP by Monday, August 15, 2011 to Sue Hamilton 202-333-8076 or sueinnovent@aol.com

Georgetowner • August 10, 2011

30th Anniversary at the National Aquarium

August 5,2011 at 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

The aquarium celebrates its birthday with a three-day festival, complete with music, dancing, face painting, art projects, and zumba instruction.

Address

National Aquarium – Baltimore

Pier 3, 501 E. Pratt St.

Baltimore, MD

Dog Days of August Sidewalk Sale

August 6th, 2011 at 6PM

The neighborhood’s 12th annual event includes sales at local shops, plus arts and cultural events. Free offerings include candy samples at Artfully Chocolate & Kingsbury Confection, free fans at Junction and free workouts at VIDA fitness.

Address

14th and U streets NW

Washington, DC

Live Jazz With Vocalist Nancy Scimone

August 6th, 2011 at 07:30 PM | No Cover Charge | livejazzconcerts@verizon.net | Tel: 571-232-1873

Vocalist Nancy Scimone delivers spirited performances of lively and lush American jazz standards, French and Latin-influenced tunes. The Henley’s extensive wine list, classic cocktails savory treats (crispy shrimp) and desserts (pear bread pudding!) are perfect accompaniments to these sublime songs. Cozy tapestry seats, intimate lighting. No Cover. Saturdays 7:30 – 11:15 Perfect for conversation or just listening.
Near Metros, on-street parking

Address

Henley Park Hotel

926 Massachusetts Ave. NW

Washington DC 20001

Food Network Star Open Call

August 8, 2001 at 10-2PM

The Food Network is looking for people who are full of life, passionate about cooking, and knowledgeable about food to meet them in person at their open casting call.

Design Star Open Call

August 9,2011 at 10-2PM

They want people who are passionate about their work, knowledgeable and hold a clear & unique design perspective.

They are casting everyone from beginner’s level to experts!

Address

The Westin City Center

1400 M St NW, Washington, DC 20005

Parish Gallery: Leslee Stradford “The Night Tulsa Died”

August 16th, 2011 at 12:41 PM | Tel: 202.944.2310

Showing through Tuesday, August 16, Parish Gallery (1054 31st Street, NW) proudly presents Leslee Stradford’s “The Night Tulsa Died: Black Wall Street Massacre 1921”. A descendant of the victims in “The Tulsa Race Riot 1921,” Leslee Stradford vividly conveys the social, cultural and historical story of the massacre confined to the racially segregated Greenwood neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 31, 1921. Stradford’s style, sometimes figurative, sometimes abstract and sometimes both, uses new technology and research to create digital images, painted canvases and silks. Primarily representing, but not exclusively, contemporary visual artists of significance from Africa and the African Diaspora, you can view this artistic display of history and the spirit of social preservation and regeneration in the Parrish Gallery showroom. 202.944.2310

Address

Parish Gallery

1054 31st Street, NW

Georgetowner • August 4, 2011

Meet Phineas and Ferb with Radio Disney AM 1290!

July 30, 2011

11:00 AM | FREE

Verizon FiOS TV and Disney Channel are celebrating the debut of the animated Disney Channel Original Movie “Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension.” Local area kids and families are invited to meet everyone’s favorite adventurous duo, Phineas and Ferb, along with Special Agent P, and enjoy themed activities, photo opportunities and games. The Radio Disney Road Crew will provide entertainment inviting guests to sing and dance to the latest Radio Disney hits.

Address

Fashion Center at Pentagon, Third Level Center Court

1100 South Hayes St, Arlington, Virginia 22202

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra Small Group: Collaboration in Jazz, Featuring the Music of Ge

July 30, 2011 at 07:30 PM

Through such tunes as “Walkin’ Shoes,” “Line for Lyons” and “Apple Core,” this program celebrates historic horn duos—pairs that expanded the role of the “front line” in the small jazz group. In this setting, one horn might take an accompanying role, providing a melodic line or rhythmic figure as accompaniment to the other’s solo. The two horns might participate in a musical conversation, passing ideas back and forth. Or, in a process that is as old as jazz itself, they might solo simultaneously, improvising in counterpoint.

Address

Baird Auditorium

National Museum of Natural History

10th Street and Constitution Ave. N.W.

Art + Coffee: Luce Unplugged with Cephalopods

July 31, 2011

Free to the public

Join us today at 1:30 p.m. for a talk on William Alvin Blayney’s Mural No. GU-43752 (All Rights Reserved), selected by the musical group the Cephalopods, who will perform in the Luce Foundation Center at 2 p.m. following the talk. Cephalopods is a DC-based instrumental trio and is made up of veterans of DC’s DIY music scene, drawing on punk rock as well as folk and classical traditions from around the world.

The Luce Center has expanded Art + Coffee to bring you an exciting lineup of local musicians. Luce Unplugged, an acoustic concert series, invites emerging musicians to play after staff-led art talks.

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Meet in the F Street Lobby

8th and F Streets

Bourbon Steak: Annual “Pig Out” Patio Party

August 14, 2011 at 03:00 PM

$35 per person

Tel: 202.944.2026

It’s time once again to “Pig Out” at Bourbon Steak (2800 Pennsylvania, NW). The modern American restaurant will host its second annual pig roast event on their spacious patio Sunday, August 14 from 12 to 3 p.m. Priced at $35 per person for food, and $50 inclusive of food and drink, guests at this year’s pork-centric party will once again enjoy a 300-lb spit-roasted pig from Eco-Friendly Foods, among other show-stopping offerings from Executive Chef Adam Sobel and his team. Bourbon Steak is partnering with DC Brau, the DC-based brewing company, to provide the perfect pork-pairing beers for the event. The restaurant will also make available special non-alcoholic punches available throughout the day for all guests. In case of rain, “Pig Out” will be held on Sunday, August 28. To purchase tickets to “Pig Out”, call 202.944.2026 or visit www.bourbonsteakdc.com for reservations.

Address

Bourbon Steak

2800 Pennsylvania, NW

Georgetowner • July 28, 2011

Dumbarton House: Jazz Dancing Night: “Swing into the Past!”

July 22nd, 2011 at 05:00 PM

$12-$15

Dumbarton House invites you and your dancing shoes to the Belle Vue Room ballroom and lower courtyard terrace for their first ever evening devoted to the Swing style of dancing on Friday, July 22 from 6 to 10 p.m. So, bring your favorite swing style – Jitterbug, East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, etc. – for a fun filled evening of 20th-century dance. Restored in the late 1920’s through the early 1930s – the “Swing Era”! – Dumbarton House opened as a museum in 1932 and as the headquarters of the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America. Dumbarton House pays homage to swing dancing, popularized at the same time Dumbarton House was being restored and open to the public for the first time. White wines by Tradewinds Specialty Imports and sumptuous cupcakes from Sprinkles Cupcakes will be available for sale. Discounted tickets are only $12 for a limited time and $15 at the entrance if space is available.

Address

2715 Q Street, NW

Movies On The Potomac

July 24th, 2011 at 05:00 PM

National Harbor Waterfront

Enjoy entertainment moonlit on the outdoor screen along the waterfront at National Harbor. Fridays nights will be Date Night themed: June films will feature Divas of Song & Screen and Sundays will be Family Night themed: June- Tribute to Dad, July- Animated Films, August & September: Fantasy films. Bring your own chairs.

Address

137 National Plaza

Additional Information : There are 3 parking garages and one surface lot. Parking is paid. Bring blankets or lawn chairs

The Public Memory of 9/11

July 26th, 2011 at 06:30 PM

The upcoming tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks offers an opportunity to consider how the sites in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania are memorializing and interpreting this event. Leading representatives—Alice Greenwald, National September 11 Memorial & Museum; Jeff Reinbold, Flight 93 National Memorial; and Andy Ammerman, Pentagon Memorial—present the designs of the memorials and discuss the challenges in commemorating recent history. Brent Glass, director of the National Museum of American History, will moderate the program.

Editor’s Note: This event is free, but pre-registration is required. Visit www.nbm.org .

Address

National Building Museum,

401 F Street N.W. Washington, DC 20001

Baked & Wired: Nic Parrish Art Exhibit

July 27th, 2011 at 12:33 PM

Tel: 202.333.2500

On display from Wednesday, July 27 through Tuesday, August 16, Baked & Wired (1052 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW) presents an art exhibit by local D.C. artist Nic Parrish. Parrish’s post modern abstract style is alive with color and texture. Whether it’s for a cup of coffee or a need to satisfy your sweet tooth, stop by Baked & Wired to enjoy this exhibit and more. 202.333.2500

Address

Baked & Wired

1052 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW

Georgetowner • July 27, 2011

Director’s Cut Opening Reception

July 15th, 2011 at 05:00 PM info@oldprintgallery.com | Tel: (202) 965-1818

Director’s Cut opens with a free reception from 5-8 pm at The Old Print Gallery. The show is an celebration of the woodcut medium, the oldest known printmaking technique. Handpicked by our gallery director and ranging from 15th to 21st century prints, the selection will be a showcase of the evolution and creative innovation of the woodcut over time. Prints from the Nuremberg Chronicles (1493), white-line woodcuts from acclaimed Provincetown artist Blanche Lazzell (1878-1956), and more.
Address

The Old Print Gallery
1220 31st Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007

NMWA Summer Exhibitions 2011

July 15th, 2011 at 10:00 AM

$10 adults, $8 students/visitors 65 and over, free for NMWA members/youth 18 and under.

mcragle@nmwa.org | Tel: 202-783-7373

The Art of Travel: Picturesque Views of Europe by Richenda Cunningham (July 15, 2011- October 30, 2011)

The Art of Travel features “Nine Views Taken on the Continent,” c. 1830, a lithographic portfolio of travel prints from NMWA’s collection by 19th-century British artist Richenda Cunningham. Employing the picturesque style, Cunningham depicts natural and architectural points of interest throughout France, Switzerland, Italy and Germany, including Heidelberg Castle, Pont du Gard, and the Roman-era triumphal arch at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.

Address

1250 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20005-3970

Garden to Table: Flowering and Edible

July 16th, 2011 at 10:00 AM | Tel: 202-965-0400

Flowers on your table? They’re for plates as well as vases. There’s still time to register for this hands-on workshop! Learn how to grow edible flowering plants at home, using sustainable methods, and prepare them in easy, great-tasting dishes. The morning opens in the Tudor Place Gardens with director of gardens and grounds Suzanne Bouchard. Then it’s into the kitchen with renowned instructor and locavore Chris Coppola Leibner of Just Simply… Cuisine, where you’ll prepare a delicious lunch from the gardens’ bounty.

(In July, don’t miss “Fruit Cultivation in Small Spaces!” Learn how tiny plots and patios can still put forth luscious fruit.)
Address

Tudor Place Historic House and Garden
1644 31st Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007

Tasting of Italian Dessert Wines

July 16th, 2011 at 12:00 PM

$45 | Tel: 202-467-4466

Taste 11 different varieties of grappa and Italian dessert wines, as part of the year-long celebration of Italy’s 150th and Al Tiramisu’s 15th anniversaries. Chef Luigi Diotaiuti discusses each wines history and region. Appetizers and pasta will accompany the wines.
Address

Al Tiramisu
2014 P St. NW
Washington, DC 20036

Dave Nyczepir • July 26, 2011

With November upon us, many living in the District will participate in the annual fall exodus. On the weekends, Washington residents retreat to their preferred autumnal sanctuaries. Resorts and B&Bs throughout Maryland and Virginia play host to those reveling in the year’s most mild and fleeting
weather. Such traditional draws are a staple of the autumn spell.

When formulating your plans, it’s a good idea to explore less conventional avenues and find retreats not bogged down by throngs of tourists. The Eastern Shore is less than a two-hour drive from DC and promises some of the season’s best autumn activities. Spending the weekend on the Eastern Shore is an unconventional yet unparalleled experience, sure to liven your month.

Talbot County, Maryland is a hidden gem. The splendorous setting is rich with history and offers
some of the best biking, fishing, and kayaking to be found. What’s more, Talbot County presents visitors with several distinctive towns to choose from, each with a personality all its own. Guests to the area may choose to intimately explore one or town-hop for a taste of the entire area.

Easton

Easton is celebrating its 300-year anniversary this year, which only adds to the vibrant atmosphere
found there. Nestled away in the outskirts of town are family-owned farms, such as Chapel’s Country Creamery. Dairy cows graze its sprawling fields, attesting to Easton’s pastoral grandeur. The farm itself sells its all-natural produce on site. Additionally, many of the Shore’s best chefs use local creamers and farmers as their purveyors, strengthening Easton’s communal bonds.

One such chef is Jordan Lloyd, whose Bartlett Pear Inn recently received the second highest
Zagat rating in all categories for the East Coast. Lloyd owns the inn with his wife Alice, his fourth grade sweetheart reunited by fate 10 years later. The two embarked on a journey that led from Mason’s, another local favorite, to Michel Richard’s Citronelle here in DC, New York, Atlanta, Miami, and back again. Along the way, Lloyd apprenticed with four-star chefs at five-diamond and five-star enterprises, including DC’s Four Seasons Hotel. The end result is his upscale American bistro, where classic French techniques meet contemporary plate design, in an impressive 220-year-old establishment.

From November 12 to 14, Easton will host its 40th Annual Waterfowl Festival. Sportsmen and art connoisseurs alike should find something that intrigues them. Wildlife paintings, photos, sculptures, and carvings, including collectible decoys, will be available at multiple venues about town. Moreover, the World Championship Calling Contests and fly-fishing and stunt dog demonstrations are sure to draw a crowd. Easton’s colonial streets will close, and historic buildings will be decorated in celebration of its small-town heritage and support of wildlife conservation.

Also in Easton is the iconic Inn at 202 Dover. Restored by Shelby and Ron Mitchell, the 1874 mansion is an incredible sight. With its spacious rooms and Jacuzzis, you’d be hard pressed to find a more inviting inn in which to spend a few nights. Then again, the Tidewater Inn traces its roots back to 1712. Within walking distance of historic downtown Easton’s many boutiques, galleries and restaurants, the charming hideaway is sure to inspire romance. You won’t go wrong either way.

Oxford

Located southwest of Easton on the Tred Avon River, Oxford was founded in 1683 and is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Few towns have endured the marked phases of change that Oxford has. The landscape, once dominated by tobacco plantations and home to famous figures of the Revolution, later gave rise to oyster harvesting and packing industries. Despite the increase in tourism to the area, Oxford retained its small-town feel.

Those looking to dine in town would do right to give Pope’s Tavern, or else the Robert Morris Inn, a try. Both restaurants provide impeccable service and dining ambiance while affording incredible
views of the water. Robert Morris Inn deserves special note, as it recently reopened under new co-owner and executive chef Mark Salter. Salter was the former chef of the Inn at Perry Cabin, and his signature dishes go well with the wide array of vintages the inn has stocked. Dine in Salter’s Tap Room & Tavern or one of two 1710 dining rooms, a few feet from Oxford’s ferry dock.

St. Michaels

St. Michaels rests along the “Bay Hundred” stretch that runs to Tilghman Island. In its heyday,
St. Michaels was a major shipbuilding center that produced such models as the Baltimore Clipper, which served as privateers during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. Thus, it should come as no surprise that the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is one of its premier attractions.

Founded in 1965, the Maritime Museum occupies 35 buildings across 18 waterfront acres and features 10 exhibits that explore the geological, social, and economic history of the Chesapeake Bay. The museum also houses the largest collection of indigenous Chesapeake Bay watercraft in existence. Although the museum currently allows visitors to tong for oysters, on November 6 it will host OysterFest & Members Day from 10 am to 4 pm.

OysterFest celebrates the Bay oyster with live music, food and family activities. Skipjack and buy-boat rides will be available. Furthermore, oyster aquaculture, restoration, and cooking demonstrations will be ongoing. The oyster stew competition may very well be the highlight of the festival, which is included with museum admission.

If oysters aren’t your thing, Ava’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar and The Crab Claw Restaurant are two popular local eateries. Ava’s wood-fired pizza is complemented by its diverse selection of beer and wine. The Crab Claw has served steamed Maryland blue crabs since 1965. Also worth a look is Bistro St. Michael’s, which rounds out St. Michael’s wide range of restaurants.

Not far off is the Inn at Perry Cabin. An elite escape, the inn’s waterfront property offers a gorgeous panorama of the Shore at its finest. Though the inn has lost some of its exclusivity with an expansion to 78 rooms, the lavish accommodations and amenities make this less noticeable. In addition, the inn’s convenient location makes it the perfect place to stay if you plan on seeing the sights around “The Town that Fooled the British.”

In the interval between those dog days of summer and the sluggish winter months, autumn is the ideal occasion for a weekend getaway—one that will both relax and reenergize. If you haven’t made plans yet, do not fret. The Eastern Shore is an often overlooked and underutilized travel alternative. Add to this its breathtaking vistas and insulated townships, and the Shore might just be among the most well-guarded vacation secret in the country. [gallery ids="99421,99422,99423,99424,99425,99426,99427" nav="thumbs"]

Katherine Tallmadge •

Halloween can trip up even the most conscientious dieter. Last year, this happened to a client who had lost and kept off 20 pounds successfully. The Halloween trap caught her by surprise. She bought several bags of Snickers, her favorite candy bar, and began a binge that didn’t end until the candy was gone – long before Trick or Treating even began! That brought her up a couple of pounds. The holidays came and before she knew it, she had gained almost ten pounds before winter was out.

With Halloween passed and holidays looming, it’s important to determine your strategy for dealing
with the temptation of sweets: what you eat, what you bring in your home, and what you serve others. My philosophy is that all foods can be enjoyed in moderation. But there are special challenges
posed with some foods, particularly sweets, which have been confirmed by solid science – it’s not just in our heads! Understanding the science behind sweet craving and overeating can help us eat in a more moderate and healthy way.

People have an inborn attraction to sweets. If you don’t believe it, simply watch an infant’s response to something sweet versus, say, a vegetable. There’s an automatic acceptance, even joy, after eating something sweet. On the other hand, vegetables are an acquired taste, which may take 10 to 20 tries before acceptance. This is partly explained by evolution. We’ve been eating naturally sweet foods such as breast milk and fruit for millions of years. They contain life-sustaining nutrients, and a love for those foods helped keep us alive. Also, during evolution, an attraction to scarce calorie-dense foods, such as sweets and fats, improved our chances for survival.

But there are other explanations. The research surrounding our attraction to sweets has stepped up in recent decades. Scientists are grappling with understanding the calorie imbalances causing the obesity epidemic, which is partly fueled by eating too many sweets.

Our brain chemistry holds an important clue. Research shows that sweets, like many antidepressants,
increase the brain chemical, serotonin, which helps regulate mood and appetite.

“Without carbohydrates, your brain stops regulating serotonin,” says Judith Wurtman, the director
of the women’s health research program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Clinical Research Center in Boston. “Eating carbohydrates profoundly improves mood; which is why a handful
of candy corn will make you feel better.”

When we are stressed, anxious or depressed, serotonin levels can drop, and one way people modify their moods is by eating carbohydrates. But Halloween and holiday sweet cravings may be uniquely influenced by seasonal changes, too. Studies show that as days get shorter and we are exposed to less sunshine, serotonin levels drop and this leads to increased carbohydrate cravings in susceptible people.

“It’s seasonal. If they sold Halloween and Holiday candy in July, people wouldn’t be as interested,”
says Wurtman.

Women are particularly vulnerable to sweet cravings because their brains have less serotonin than men, according to Wurtman.

There have been other explanations for women’s reported increased sweet craving and indulging. Some researchers attribute the difference to the female hormone, estrogen. It’s been reported that sweet cravings change according to where a woman is in her menstrual cycle—circumstantial evidence that estrogen may play a role. But the findings are inconsistent, as some report increased cravings during menstruation, while others report higher cravings as a premenstrual symptom, a time when serotonin levels may be low.

But the bottom line is clear: “Females overeat sweets compared to males,” says Lisa Eckel, assistant professor of psychology at Florida State University in Tallahassee. Eckel completed a study on rats, published in the American Journal of Physiology, which found that female rats ate more rat chow when it was sweetened, compared with males.

“In animals, having high levels of estrogen is associated with eating more sweets,” says Eckel. Yet this theory has yet to be proven in humans.

Cravings and overeating are difficult to study because they can be so subjective and multifactorial.
Other researchers stipulate sweet cravings are mainly determined by culture, or by psychological and behavioral factors, rather than physiology.

In some cultures, people don’t crave sweets because they haven’t been exposed to them as regularly as Americans. A study of chocolate, for instance, found that American women crave chocolate significantly more than Spanish women. And while a large percentage of American women reported increased chocolate cravings surrounding their menstrual period, Spanish women did not.

Other studies confirm that exposure during childhood is the major determinant of what we crave and are susceptible to overeating.

I copied my mother’s love for sweets and baking; it was a fun activity we did together. In college, to combat loneliness—and just for fun—I over-indulged my love for sweets (as the pounds went up and up). I would regularly bake my favorite chocolate chip bars and caramel popcorn, both of which I made in childhood. Study after study shows the importance of parental modeling on a child’s preferences.

Availability and proximity are two of the most important factors science has found that influence what we crave and overeat, and they probably trump all of the other reasons combined. When tasty foods, such as sweets, are around, we simply eat more of them.

Chances are, a combination of factors is responsible for cravings and overeating sweets at Halloween and the holidays.

“Holiday sweets are novel, they only comes around once a year. It comes in small pieces so you fool yourself into thinking you’re not eating as much,” says Wurtman. “You put it in bowls around the house and eat it mindlessly!”

Wurtman says if you have a strong desire for sweets, it may be a sign that you’re depressed, anxious or stressed. But she insists you don’t have to indulge in sweets to raise your serotonin levels or to feel good. Exercising, stress management and spending time with loved ones are activities which will also help reduce depression, anxiety and stress (My client discovered a psychological basis for her binges, which she is successfully averting these days).

Using candy to feel better is not a great solution for your waist line. It is so high calorie, it doesn’t take much to overeat and forget your weight loss plans. For the same calories in a candy bar, you could eat four apples—or maybe you couldn’t. And that’s the point!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not urging you to be a Halloween Scrooge. I believe it’s possible to have fun with Halloween, and even eat Halloween candy, but still avoid some of the excesses that many of us have fallen victim to in the past. Here are a few suggestions.

• To reduce the possibility of seasonal cravings, make sure you’re getting 30 minutes to one hour of sunlight each day by taking a walk in the mornings or at lunch. You may be able to “catch up” on the weekend if you didn’t get enough rays during the week.

• Eat plenty of healthy carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, to keep serotonin at optimum levels and reduce cravings of less healthy carbohydrates, such as refined sugar.

• If you feel “driven” to eat sweets, it may be a signal that you’re depressed, anxious or stressed. Reduce tension and anxiety by exercising, meditating or talking with loved ones. It’s important
to understand the core of the problem, and for that you may need to seek help from a professional.

• If you want to lose weight, keep your candy – or other “extra” calories – to no more than 10% of your daily calories (that’s 200 calories for the average 2,000 calorie intake, or 150 for 1,500 calories). You may even get away with one big splurge on Halloween. But if you splurge for two or more days, it will probably effect your waist line negatively.

• If you can’t resist eating too much candy, wait to buy it on the day of the party or event (or, don’t buy it). This way, the candy won’t be sitting around as a constant temptation

• Buy only what you need for the event and buy your least favorite candy. Give away the remaining candy at the end of the evening so that there’s nothing left.

• Try fun and healthier alternatives to sweets to have around your home and serve to family and guests, such as popcorn, roasted pumpkin seeds, sliced apples and fruit with nice dips

• Most importantly, if you do find you overeat, lighten up, don’t dwell on the negative and get over it! Analyze objectively what you can do differently next time. With awareness and good planning, you can have your sweets and eat them, too!

Katherine Tallmadge, M.A., R.D. custom-designs nutrition, diet and wellness programs. You see her interviewed regularly in the media, on CNN, CBS Evening News, Good Morning America, NPR, POLITICO, Newsweek and others. Katherine@KatherineTallmadge.com (202)833-0353

Robert HigginBotham •

Thanksgiving is ancient history now. And as the trees shed those last few colorful stragglers refusing to join the pile, we’re forced to face the fact that fall is coming to an end, and the cold is here to stay. Nonetheless, DC transforms almost overnight into a city of lights, as the yearly holiday festivities begin with the immediacy of instant oatmeal.

The annual lighting of the National Chanukah Menorah is already in full swing, and a 40-foot spruce tree sits discretely on the side, waiting to be unveiled. There are parades, plays, concerts, cocktails, gift exchanges, gift returns, families and friends, cookie parties, party parties—just enough so that by the time the ball drops and the fireworks go off, you may well be writhing in bed at night, the sound of bells engrained within the hollows of your ears, trying to figure out where to put the extra 10 pounds you’ve tacked on.

As truly wonderful as it all is, it can (and will) get hectic and overwhelming. It’s times like these we can be grateful for, and truly appreciate, a peaceful countryside. Who can refuse a jaunt over the hills—or over the river and through the woods—for quiet views and great food? What better escape for you and your loved ones to flee the city for a couple hours and soak up the holiday spirit together in quiet relaxation?

If this is ringing a bell and you need a place to go, we’ve got a few in mind. Places like the Billard’s Patowmack Farm in Lovettesville, VA, just north along the river and west of Point of Rocks, are perfect for a respite from the holiday madness.

With views overlooking the Potomac and the Point of Rocks Bridge, Beverly Morton Billard and Chuck Billard started Patowmack Farm in 1986 as a place to grow fresh herbs and seasonal vegetables. In 1998 they opened their restaurant, championing—and in many ways, pioneering—the farm-to-table concept. The Farm’s well known “Chef Christopher” focuses on providing fresh, organic produce straight from the grounds, paired with sustainable seafood and wild, natural meats.

Helping to maintain an environmental balance using sustainable practices is of the utmost importance to Chef Christopher and the Patowmack crew, and it’s never compromised on the menu. Such items include Truffle Roasted Jerusalem Artichoke, incorporating burgundy truffles, black trumpet mushroom powder and a mushroom puree. Or, on the more savory side, choices include dishes like Duck A L’Orange served with caramelized endive, juniper spice pesto, candied orange peel and grand marnier. As for dessert, one can’t go wrong with the Maple Crème Beignet, a dark chocolate ganache combined with shaved white chocolate and Virginia peanut streusel.

Everything on the menu is available a la carte, or as part of a 5-course prix fixe menu with optional wine pairings. And of course, vegetarian options are always available.

The exquisite high-ceilinged glass dining room at Patowmack Farm is open Thursday night through Saturday, and brunch is served on weekends, mixing in organic breakfast dishes into their already healthy repertoire.

More recently, the Farm has cooked up what they call “Thursday’s on the Farm,” as a way for the curious (or the repeat offender) to sample the unique tastes, much like tapas. Dishes are smaller (and priced accordingly) and served with organically infused cocktail options. The menus for both change weekly allowing for a wide range of what the Farm has to offer.

The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm has joined an elite crew of the most renowned dining experiences in the area (DC included), and not only for serving food, but for giving back as well. Earlier this month the Farm teamed up with INMED Partnerships for Children in an event goaled toward helping to stop child hunger, disease, abuse, neglect and violence. More specifically, the proceeds of the “Chef’s Collaborative Event” went toward establishing a greenhouse organic gardening system at the Loudoun County Homeless and Transitional Housing Shelter. They are hoping the greenhouse will provide both education and food year-round to those in need. It isn’t just good food they’re serving up at the Farm, it’s Good, period.

And if you’re not sold yet, Patowmack Farm throws in some wonderful special events every month to help coax you away from the concrete jungle. Whether it’s a jazz brunch, a top notch cooking class, or simply holiday music and great food (this year provided by Music by Anthem’s string quartet hosted on Dec 17 and Dec 18), there always seems to be something going on at the Patowmack Farm to spice up a great day spent in the country. Sided with a view of the bridge among rolling hills, while leaning back in a quiet gazebo miles away from food trucks, bus stops, pay stations and buildings over three stories tall, you may realize that, occasionally, the city of lights needs to be beat—at least for an hour or two. [gallery ids="99578,104869,104873" nav="thumbs"]